Salient Features of the Universe

• Homogeneity and isotropy for 6000 Mpc > x > 100 Mpc
• Universe expanding uniformly
• thermal background of radiation with T~3K
• chemical composition is roughly 75% H, 25% He, + trace

• ordinary matter is more abundant than ordinary antimatter

• nearly scale invariant, adiabatic CMB fluctuations
• universe is spatially flat

• hierarchy of lumpy structure from 1 kpc to 100 Mpc scales

• ordinary matter is a minority (1/6x) of all matter

• matter is a minority (1/4x) of all energy

• expansion rate is accelerating
Best evidence: we exist !
   0
  (  v )  0   3  1
t a

v       a 
 (v   ) v  1

 p    0 v  r  v1
t a

 4G  
2
   4G   r  1
3
   0
  (  v )  0   3  1
t a

v       a 
 (v   ) v  1

 p    0 v  r  v1
t a

 4G  
2
   4G   r  1
3

  2 H   ( 2 H 2  2 2
k k 3 clust  c s k )  k
   2 H   2 H 2  
k k 3 clust k

Case I: Flat, matter dominated Universe  clust  1

a 2
H ~
a 3t

2/3
k ~ t ~ a
Case II: If clustered matter does not dominate:

 0.6
k ~ a where  ~  clust
 a ~ 1/1000

~ a(t)
 grows by only 200

a ~ 1/5
 Salient Features of the Universe
• Homogeneity and isotropy for 6000 Mpc > x > 100 Mpc
• Universe expanding uniformly
• thermal background of radiation with T~3K
• chemical composition is roughly 75% H, 25% He, + trace

• ordinary matter is more abundant than ordinary antimatter

• nearly scale invariant, adiabatic CMB fluctuations
• universe is spatially flat

• hierarchy of lumpy structure from 1 kpc to 100 Mpc scales

• ordinary matter is a minority (1/6x) of all matter

• matter is a minority (1/4x) of all energy

• expansion rate is accelerating
Best evidence: we exist !
J. Ostriker & PJS, Nature (1995):

Compelling evidence for Low Matter Density

Mass density/critical density

Hubble constant (x 100 km/s/Mpc)

J. Ostriker & PJS, Nature (1995):

Compelling evidence for Low Matter Density

Compelling case for a Flat Universe

Fluctuations in the Cosmic Microwave Background
Anisotropy
J. Ostriker & PJS, Nature (1995):

Compelling evidence for Low Matter Density

Compelling case for a Flat Universe

Only possible if there is Dark Energy

J. Ostriker & PJS, Nature (1995):

Compelling evidence for Low Matter Density

Compelling case for a Flat Universe

Only possible if there is Dark Energy

… but, then, the dark energy better have

negative pressure
energy density

Positive
pressure

time
energy density

Matter
dominates

Negative
pressure

time
J. Ostriker & PJS, Nature (1995):

Compelling evidence for Low Matter Density

Compelling case for a Flat Universe

Only possible if there is Dark Energy

… but, then, the dark energy better have

negative pressure

… but, then, the universe must be

accelerating
Type IA Supernovae
Cosmological
Constant
or
Quintessence?
 scalar fields

   12  2  V 

 
 p    12  2  V

T   
   
 p    12  2  V 
   
  p   2   V 
1 2

1  2 V
p 2
w  
 1  2
2
V

w < -1/3 means KE < V/2

   2 H   2 H 2  
k k 3 clust k

Case I: Flat, matter dominated Universe  clust  1

a 2
H ~
a 3t

2/3
k ~ t ~ a
Case II: If clustered matter does not dominate:

 0.6
k ~ a where  ~  clust
Steady expansion
 Observed Features of the Universe
• Universe is homogeneous and isotropic on lengths > 100 Mpc
• Universe expanding uniformly
• thermal background of radiation with T~3K
• chemical composition is roughly 75% H, 25% He, + trace
• ordinary matter is more abundant than ordinary antimatter
• nearly scale invariant spectrum of CMB fluctuations
• hierarchy of structure from 1 kpc to 1 Mpc scales
• universe is spatially flat
• ordinary matter is a minority (1/6x) of all matter
• matter is a minority (1/4x) of all energy

• expansion rate accelerating

 Observed Features of the Universe
• Universe is homogeneous and isotropic on lengths > 100 Mpc
• Universe expanding uniformly
• thermal background of radiation with T~3K
• chemical composition is roughly 75% H, 25% He, + trace
• ordinary matter is more abundant than ordinary antimatter
• nearly scale invariant spectrum of CMB fluctuations
• hierarchy of structure from 1 kpc to 1 Mpc scales
• universe is spatially flat
• ordinary matter is a minority (1/6x) of all matter
• matter is a minority (1/4x) of all energy

• expansion rate accelerating

 Observed Features of the Universe
• Universe is homogeneous and isotropic on lengths > 100 Mpc
• Universe expanding uniformly
• thermal background of radiation with T~3K
• chemical composition is roughly 75% H, 25% He, + trace
• ordinary matter is more abundant than ordinary antimatter
• nearly scale invariant spectrum of CMB fluctuations
• hierarchy of structure from 1 kpc to 1 Mpc scales
• universe is spatially flat
• ordinary matter is a minority (1/6x) of all matter
• matter is a minority (1/4x) of all energy

• expansion rate accelerating

 Observed Features of the Universe
• Universe is homogeneous and isotropic on lengths > 100 Mpc
• Universe expanding uniformly
• thermal background of radiation with T~3K
• chemical composition is roughly 75% H, 25% He, + trace
• ordinary matter is more abundant than ordinary antimatter
• nearly scale invariant spectrum of CMB fluctuations
• hierarchy of structure from 1 kpc to 1 Mpc scales
• universe is spatially flat
• ordinary matter is a minority (1/6x) of all matter
• matter is a minority (1/4x) of all energy

• expansion rate accelerating

 Looking for some problems?

• What is the nature of dark matter?

• What is the nature of dark energy?
• What is origin of supermassive black holes?
• What role does dark energy and cosmic acceleration play?
• Why is the cosmological constant so small?
• What is the origin of matter-antimatter asymmetry?
• Is the inflationary theory correct? (or the cyclic?)
• What is the inflaton or cyclic field responsible?
• How far does space extend?
• Is the Big Bang a beginning of space and time?
• Why are there three large spatial dimensions?